


Protect You (from a mistake you would make)

by Kaimu



Series: The Retirement Series [3]
Category: Swimming RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-10
Updated: 2012-12-10
Packaged: 2017-11-20 20:00:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaimu/pseuds/Kaimu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to YBOUTCIM and YTCOM,ITCOY; now known as 'the retirement series'. It all happens when Ryan is in Rio for the Olympics...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protect You (from a mistake you would make)

**Author's Note:**

> So, I decided to make this into a series. The timelines will jump around, but I will warn you for that. I'll always say around when the things that happen in this fic 'happen'. Hope you enjoy! :)

Ryan is in Rio when he gets the phonecall from his boyfriend.

" 'S up MP!" Ryan's cheerfulness quickly falters when he hears the strangled sob on the other end of the line. "Mike? What's wrong?"

"Ry...It's mom..."

"Debbie? What's wrong with her?"

"She's sick, man. She has cancer."

"What?! And you're telling me just now?"

"She just told me as well! Her operation is tomorrow. I..."

"I'm coming back to Baltimore."

"No!" Ryan actually has to put his phone a little away from his ear at Michael's volume. "No, Ry. You have to stay there. You have to race."

"But Deb is sick. You know I practically see her as a second mom, dude."

"I know. We both knew this would be your reaction so she actually didn't want me to tell you. I told her that I couldn't keep you in the dark, but-"

"Damn right you couldn't." Ryan interrupts him, "I would have killed you if you had."

"I told her that I would forbid you to give up on the championship. You have to think about your career, Ry. Please. Mom's gonna kill us both if you come back to Baltimore." He leaves out the part 'if she'll make it herself', but they know they're both thinking it. "So just...just stay, ok?"

Ryan is quiet for a little while, then he sighs. "Ok."

"Good," Michael replies, with an obvious breath of relief. "Oh and Ry?"

"Yeah?"

"Kick some French arse for me, yeah?"

"Jeah."

"I'll call you soon. Good luck."

"Thanks. Bye."

\--++--

Ryan isn't surprised by the knock on his door a little while later and even less surprised hen he opens the door and finds Allison Schmitt standing there.

"He told you."

She nods, "Yes, he did. Then he practically forced me to come and see if you aren't packing. Which you aren't." she said after looking around the room, "That's good."

Ryan sighs, carding a hand frustratedly through his hair. "What should I do Allie?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Go back to Bmore of course."

"What does Michael want you to do?"

Ryan snorts. "You know what he wants. He wants me to stay."

"Then you stay." She stops Ryan from arguing with her by raising her hand. "Do you think he doesn't want you there? He was devastated on the phone when he called me and told me how much he wanted you there but that you had to stay because he doesn't want you to regret it if you leave. 'This is his time to shine', he told me, 'if he comes back to Baltimore he's gonna regret it one day and I'm just gonna feel incredibly guilty.' You don,'t want to put him up on a guilt trip, do you, Ryan?"

"No," Ryan answered quietly, taking in everything Allison said, "Of course not."

"Then you have to stay and do what you have to do. Win your races, Ry. Win the team races. Do it for him."

"I will." Ryan says with determination in his voice, then pulls Allison into a hug. "Thanks, Allie."

"Don't mention it."

\--++--

It's after his second race of the day that Ryan finally gets the call he's been waiting for.

"Is she alright?" no greeting, it's not necessary, just that.

"Yeah," a relieved chuckle. "Yeah, she's fine, Ry. She's fine."

"Thank God." Ryan breathes out as he slumps down on the bed in his hotel room. "So, how are you?"

"Better. I miss you, though."

"You should have let me come back to Bmore then." Ryan teases.

Michael snorts, "Hell no! You're way too good, man. Two times gold already. Fuck jeah."

Ryan smiles, "Pretty good, huh?"

"Pretty awesome is better."

"I did it for you, you know." Ryan admits quietly. It's not very often that he, or Michael, get that emotional; but when they do it's for real and completely heartfelt. "I'm gonna win all of them for you."

Ryan's pretty sure he can hear a sniffle on the other end of the line and god how he wishes he could just hug his boyfriend now.

"Thanks, Ry. You know that means a lot to me."

"I'll come home as soon as I can."

Home...Yeah, that's where Michael is. Anywhere Michael is is home to Ryan.

"I know you will. Just keep on winning those gold medals in the meanwhile."

"Hell yeah, I will. See you soon."

"Keep on kickin' ass."

"Bye."

"Bye, Ry."

\--++--

Michael's in the hospital, visiting his mother, both watching the television when it's Ryan's final race. They're not really sure who cheers the loudest when Ryan wins, again, but it's probably Michael because Debbie isn't up to her full potential yet.

There's one more race left, a couple hours later, the last team race. The last chance for Ryan to get all gold metals through the competition.

There's no one else who deserves it as much as Ryan does. Or at least that's Michael's opinion.

He's talking with his mom and sisters when they suddenly announce the last race for the team and Michael shushes them all. Michael's on the edge of his seat the whole time, especially when it's Ryan's turn to close the four and do the final laps.

"Come on, come on." Michael's muttering to himself as he watches Ryan's every move, or as good as he can with those camera views, then jumps up with his arms in the air when Ryan is the first one to tick off on the wall. "He did it! He did it!" Michael all but screams as he pulls his mom into a hug. His mother laughs.

"Did you ever have any doubts that he wouldn't?"

Michael shakes his head, tears gathering into the corners of his eyes. "I'm just...so, **so** damn proud of him."

Debbie smiles and pulls her son a little tighter.

"We all are, son. We all are."

\--++--

At the final ceremony, Ryan gets a close-up and he winks straight into the camera. Michael just knows that wink is directed at him and he can't help the smirk from appearing on his face.

His boy had done it. No regrets. No guilt-trip. Just golden medals.

\--++--

Once the ceremony is over, Ryan rushes backstage, in search of his agent. He finds her almost immediately, leaning against a wall, waiting for him.

"Book me a plane," he tells her quickly as he rushes by.

"What?" she asks confused, following him as fast as she can.

"I said: book me a plane. I need to get to Baltimore. Now."

"B-but...What about the press conference?"

"Just tell them there was an emergency and I can't attend the meeting. Now, book me a damn plane."

"I'm gonna get in trouble for this...and so are you."

Ryan sighs and stops walking for a second to look at her, "Look, I'll make it up to you, alright? I just **need** to get to Baltimore, stat."

Seeing that Ryan isn't gonna give up, she relents. "Ok, fine. Just know that you owe me one."

Ryan smiles, plants a big kiss on her cheek, then races away again, shouting a "thanks!" over his shoulder.

His agent shakes herr head and smiles fondly, then goes to do what she was told.

She's so gonna get in trouble for this...But hey, for that kiss she got? It's so worth it!

\--++--

_"It seems like Ryan Lochte can't attend the meeting due to an emergency. Please direct your questions to the rest of the team or to the coach. Ryan will probably hold another conference sometime later. You will all be invited there once we know more."_

Michael almost gets a heart attack when he hears this being announced on the TV.

An emergency? Ryan? Fuck!

He can feel the eyes of his mother and sisters on him while he fumbles with his phone and presses in a textmessage.

_**'Emergency? What emergency? Are you alright?!'** _

He bites his nails in agonizing anticipation, ignoring his mother's reproachful look, then almost drops his phone when het gets a text back.

**'I'm fine.'**

**_'Thank God. What's the emergency then?'_ **

**'You are.'**

For a minute, Michael feels like yelling at Ryan for being so stupid to run away from the press meeting just for him, but then he realizes just how much he missed his boyfriend. How he missed it to have the chance to get comforted by him while his mother was sick. He has a whole lot of making up hugging and kissing to do.

What he realizes the most is how well Ryan knows him. How scary it is that Ryan knows how much Michael needs him, no matter how hard he might push him away at times; Ryan stays. Ryan is his one constant in life and he's damn glad he's coming back.

He's not sure of what to send back, then settles on a simple 'Thank you'. When he gets a text back with just the word 'Anytime' less than a minute later, he knows that Ryan understands.

Understands the wicked ways of Michael's mind.

It's probably a blessing and a curse at the same time, but Ryan has it, and Michael couldn't wish for a better person to have it then Ryan Lochte.

That's what he realizes now more than ever.

\--++---

Michael's waiting for Ryan in the airport lobby, his regular hoodie and sunglasses on to stay low-profile, or at least try to. He spots Ryan almost immediately and it doesn't take long until Ryan spots him as well, then comes running towards him, almost falling over his own lugage trolley as he does so..

Once he reaches Michael, he pushes the trolley aside and barrels into his boyfriends waiting arms. He burries his nose into Michael's neck and just breathes him in. Michael just holds onto him and lets his hands trail up and down Ryan's back.

"I'm glad you're back." Michael whispers and Ryan mumbles something back against his neck. Michael smiles. "You'll have to pull away a little if you want me to understand you."

Ryan groans, but turns his head so his mouth is out of Michael's neck. "It feels good to be back." Then he does pull back to look Michael in the eyes. "How's Debbie?"

"Much better. She told me to tell you that she's very proud of her future son-in-law." Michael shuffles his feet because it's kind of embarassing to say it like that, but Ryan is grinning and then kisses Michael, so he guesses it was worth it. "I'm proud too by the way."

Ryan smiles softly and strokes Michael's cheek, not even caring about all the people around them, Michael feels himself lean into the touch.

"How are you holding up?"

"Amazingly well. Now that you're back, things can only get better."

"I wish I had been here."

"Ry..."

"No," Ryan holds up his hand, "I get it. I do. In the end you just wanted me to follow my dream no matter how much you were hurting and wanted me here. That's very... un-selfish of you."

Michael smiles, then turn serious again. "I just wanted to protect you. I didn't want you to feel bad afterwards."

"And I wouldn't want you to feel guilty about it. So I stayed. And I won everything. For you."

"You finally showed them who the real Ryan Lochte is."

"Hell jeah!"

"So fucking proud of you." Michael pulls Ryan into a passionate kiss, then whispers against his lips afterwards; "Come on, let's go home and drop of your stuff. Then we can go and visit mom. What do you say to that?"

"I say: let's get a move on!"

Ryan grabs one handle of the trolley, Michael grabs the other, then they entwine their fingers of their other hands. That's how they leave the airport together.

Finally united again. With lots and lots of hugging and kissing to look forward to.

Probably something more as well...


End file.
